Jack or plug receptacle

ABSTRACT

A jack or plug receptacle has a plurality of female receptacles for receiving stabs of a plug. The walls of the receptacles and surfaces of the stab engage to aid in fixing the position of the plug with respect to the jack. A contact in each of the receptacles has a long, free-standing intermediate shank supporting a wiper head. The shank can twist into full and positive engagement with a conductor blade on the plug&#39;&#39;s stab. Each vertical shank of the jack&#39;&#39;s contacts can elastically yield to the stab and freely displace until the wiper abuts a guard of the receptacle. Each jack contact also has a free-standing insulation stripper portion which bares the electrical conductor of a wire from a cord and electrically engages such a conductor. The plug has a catch which is secured in a latch of the jack to maintain positive contact between the contacts of the jack and the conductor blades of the plug. A cover of the jack has an elastically displaceable roof which exerts a positive force on the plug to maintain a predetermined dimensional relationship between plug and receptacle and good electrical engagement between the plug blades and receptacle contacts despite external forces attendant with, for example, jarring.

United States Patent 11 1 Tucker [111 3,842,395 1 51 Oct. 15, '1974 JACK OR PLUG RECEPTACLE [75] Inventor: Council A. Tucker, Los Angeles,

Calif.

[73] Assignee: American Telecommunications Corporation, El Monte, Calif.

22 Filed: Dec. 6, 1972 21 App1.No.:312,609

[52] US. Cl 339/91 R, 339/97 P Primary Examiner-Joseph H. McGlynn Attorney, Agent, or FirmChristie, Parker & l-lale [57] ABSTRACT A jack or plug receptacle has a plurality of female receptacles for receiving stabs of a plug. The walls of the receptacles and surfaces of the stab engage to aid in fixing the position of the plug with respect to the jack. A contact in each of the receptacles has a long, freestanding intermediate shank supporting a wiper head. The shank can twist into full and positive engagement with a conductor blade on the plugs stab. Each vertical shank of the jacks contacts can elastically yield to the stab and freely displace until the wiper abuts a guard of the receptacle. Each jack contact also has a free-standing insulation stripper portion which bares the electrical conductor of a wire from a cord and electrically engages such a conductor. The plug has a catch which is secured in a latch of the jack to maintain positive contact between the contacts of thejack and the conductor blades of the plug. A cover of the jack has an elastically displaceable roof which exerts a positive force on the plug to maintain a predetermined dimensional relationship between plug and receptacle and good electrical engagement between the plug blades and receptacle contacts despite external forces attendant with, for example, jarring.

14 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures PAMTEW I slam SHEH 3 BF JACK on PLUG RECEPTACLE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to plug receptacles in general and. more in particular, to a plug receptacle especially adapted for telephone service.

Plug receptacles or jacks are used in telephone service to enable portability of a telephone instrument. With two or more jacks a telephone instrument equipped with a plug can be moved to different jack locations. It is becoming increasingly apparent that not only for portability reasons but for reasons of economy and changes in the manner in which the telephone receivers are marketed, that a jack and plug arrangement is attractive even in permanent" installations.

One of the problems with the plug and jack connection between a telephone instrument and telephone service is that the connection can give rise to a condition known as noise." Noise is static resultingfrom in adequate electrical contact. Inadequate electrical contact can occur whenthe contacts of a plug do not engage with sufficient force their mating contacts of the plug receptacle. Conditions which lead to inadequate engagement between contacts include the necessity for large tolerances in mass produced plugs and plug receptacles, inadequate support for the contacts to prevent them from moving out of place, and scoring of contact surfaces.

Thus there is a present need for a jack which can be economically produced while reducing or eliminating the occasion for static interference in a phone line.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION The present invention provides a plug receptacle or a jack which is especially adapted for use with a cord adapter or plug and which is characterized in its facility to eliminate noise interference. The present invention is also adapted for ease in wiring and economy of manufacture.

A general form of the jack of the present invention contemplates a base or conductor block which mounts a plurality of contacts for individual conductors of a cord and a latch selectively operable to accept a cooperating catch of a plug to secure the plug and jack together. A roof of a cover of the jack applies a positive force on the plug to prevent relative movement between the plug and jack. t i A specific form ofthe present invention contemplates a jack adapted to receive a plurality ofcontacts and a latch for securing a catch on the cooperating plug. Each contact includes means for electrically coning walls of the well. The latch has a tongue which is received in a pocket of a tongue guide after elastically displacing a roof thereof while a bumper of the latch bears on a-wall of a slide guide. A slide of the latch is received in a slide passage of a slide guideto aid in the vertical and horizontal stabilization of the latch. Again, a roof of a cover for the conductor block is elastically deformed by the plug when the latch engages the catch of the plug. This deformation acts like a spring to keep good electrical engagement between contacts despite. for example, jarring. A spring about the slide biases the latch to a closed position.

Preferably the electrical connection means-is in the form of a pair of free standing cutter blades which cut through insulation of a conductor to make electrical contact with the electrically conductive element of the conductor. Each contact may have two or more cutter blade pairs which enable extensions to be wired from the jack. Each contact is also of a one-piece construction. The horizontal portion of each contact leading from the cutter blades to the wiper is retained with the conductor baseasby tabsof the latter. A floor of the passage of the base through which the horizontal portion of .the contact extendsprovides another confine forthe horizontal portion. Consequently, the major amount-of flexure of the contact is in the wipers connecting, relatively long shank. Stops on the conductor block are provided for engaging thewiper head and preventing excessive bending of the shank and to stiffen the shank for good electrical contact with the blade conductor of the plug. The walls of the receptacles in which the wiper of each contact is disposed are necting a wire conductor with the contact and freestanding, elastically displaceable shank which is capped by a wiper head for electrically engaging a blade contact of a stabof the plug. The wiper head bends back with the shank in the direction of displacement when engaged by the stab. The contact continues from the shank into a captured horizontal section to meet the means for electrical connection to a wire conductor.

Preferably the latch is contained in a well intermediate two pairs of opposed pairs of contacts in the conductor block. The latch has a hook-like catch for engaging the catch of the plug which is also hook shaped, The latch is vertically and horizontally stabilized by its resting on the bottom of the conductor block and by guides which maintain an upright orientation by engagtapered for coring purposes, but in addition the taper serves to pilot the stabs of the plug into the receptacles and establish stab-receptacle engagement, the latter preventing movement of the plug withrespect to the jack in the plane parallel to the interface between them.

A feature of the present invention has pinch guides for ordering conductors in the jack which may be provided on either side of the main plug receptacle area, and valleys are provided for wire passage from one side to the other of the cutter blades without being damaged by an installation tool.

The present invention also contemplates the combination of the jack and plug with thepreviously mentioned latch and catch.

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description, appended claims and drawmgs. t

I BRIEF DESCRIPTION or THE FIGURES FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the conductor block of the present invention together with its latch and three of the six contacts which the i'llustratedconductor block employs; t

FIG. 3 is a view taken generally along line 3-3 of FIG. 2 illustrating in elevation the relationship between the latch and the conductorblock;

FIG. 4 is a view taken along line4-4 of FIG. 2 illustrating in side elevation one of a pair ;of opposed contacts employed with the jack of the present invenjack and plug of FIG. 5 is a view taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 2 illustrating slots in the conductor block which receive the cutter blades of the contacts;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary view taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 2 to illustrate the contact passage of the conductor block as well as the passage in the block for a tongue of the latch;

FIG. 7 is a view taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 2 illustrating the contact blades and wiper in frontal elevation as well as the cooperation between the cutting blades and the wiper of the contact with the conductor block;

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 3 showing the plug catch and the jack latch engaged with a roof of the jack applying a positive force on the plug to establish a fixed engagement; and

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 4 showing the plug and jack together with stabs of the former bearing against receptacle walls of the latter and electrical engagement between the conductive elements of both.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Initially with reference to FIG. 1, a jack l0 and a cord adapter or plug 12 are illustrated. The jack and plug provide six separate contacts for six separate conductors in each of two cords, one cord being shown at 14 for the plug and the other cord (not shown) being for the jack. The jack has a latch 16, seen in detail in FIGS. 2 and 3, for securing a-hook like catch 18 of the plug. Catch 18 of the plug is integrally molded with a base 19 of the plug as are six stabs 20. Conductor blades 22 are staked or rolled into pockets 24 of the stabs and are secured rigidly therein by interference fits. The conductor blades face laterally outward for engaging wipers and shanks of the contacts of the jack. The plug is inserted into the jack through apertures 27 in a cover 28, with or without a tab or actuator 26 of the latch moved to the right in FIG. 1. Aperture 29 in cover 28 provides access for catch 18. However, the plug can only be released from the jack by moving the tab to the right to open the latch and free catch 18 of the plug so that the plug can be pulled upwardly and away from the jack. As will be brought out in greater detail subsequently, the catch of the plug and the latch of the jack cooperate in such a manner that the plug is held tightly against the upper surface of cover 28 of the jack and the cover is elastically indented to apply a spring force on the surface of the plug contacted by the cover. This spring force takes up lost motion between the catch and the latch and allows the two to be in firm engagement with each other. In addition. the disposition of the blades on the stabs of the plugs. facing outwardly cooperate with the wipers and shanks ofthe contacts of the jack to produce no net displacement forces. Any net displacement force would tend to move the plug with respect to the jack when, for example, the former is plugged into the latter. Plug I2 has means within it to electrically connecteach of the conductors of cord 14 with an associated one of blades 22. In addition. the plug has a cover 30 secured to the base as by fasteners 31.

With reference to FIG. 2, a base or conductor block 32 of the jack is shown in plan. Three sets of contacts 33, 34 and 35 are shown longitudinally oriented on the right side, while on the left side the contacts have been omitted for purposes of illustrating the slots in which they reside.

i The conductor block or base has a floor 36 which is flanked on either side by contact mounts 37 and 38. Disposed centrally of the floor between the contact mounts are six stab receptacles 39, 40, 41, 42, 43 and 44. These stab receptacles receive stabs 20 of plug 12. They also receive wipers 45, 46 and 47 of base contacts 33, 34 and 35, respectively, and receptacles 42, 43 and 44 receive three more of these wipers which are not shown. g

With reference to FIGS. 2 and 5, within contact mount 38 longitudinal slots 48 and 50 are provided on each side of a tongue guide 51. (FIG. 4 shows longitudinal slot 48 in end elevation.) Slots 48 and 50 receive bases of contacts 33 and 34, respectively. As shown in FIG. 2, a third slot 52, laterally inward of the first two,

is in mount 38 for receiving the base of contact 35.

With particular reference to FIG. 5, slots 48 and 50 are deeply recessed at 53 and 54, respectively. The deep recesses receive stabilizing basis of contacts 33 and 34 I from which horizontal portions of these contactsextend inwardly towards the longitudinal center line of the conductor block. (The contacts being shown in FIG. '2 and stabilizing bases will soon be described in greater detail.) The slots are shallower at 55 and 56 to receive the cutter blades of each of these contacts. With reference to FIG. 2, slot 52 is similarly deeply recessed at 57 and more shallowly recessed at 58 for the same purposes.

With reference to FIGS'. 4, 6 and 7 the reasons for the slot depths and placement will become more apparent. These Figures illustrate the contactsof the present invention and their relationship to the conductor block or base. Only two contacts are specifically illustrated but their construction and cooperation with the conductor block are typical of the rest of the contacts. With reference to FIG. 7, contact 35 has pairs of cutter blades 59 and 60, each of which serves to receive a conductor from a cord and cut or ab'rade the conductors insulation to make electrical contact. The reason that there are two such blade sets is to enable the wiring of another jack in series with the one illustrated here. The base of the cutter blades of contact 35 is received in shallow portion 58 of slot 52 and is supported on both longitudinal sides to make the blades rigid, the shallow portion being the same as, say, shallow portion 55 of slot 50 as seen in FIG. 5. With reference again to FIG. 7, as for all blades, blade 60 has an entrance slot 61 opening into-a generally circular hole 62. The hole receives and with tabs 63 bounding slot 61 captures a conductor'prior to its final installation. Hole 62 leads into a slot 64 which is sized to do the actual cutting or abrading of a conductors insulation. The blades are free standing for receiving an installation tool without interveningjack structure. As seen in FIG. 4 for a blade 65 of a contact 66, the blades are connected to a stabilizing base 67. Again, typical of all contacts, the stabilizing base is secured in a slot 68 at a lower elevation than the portion of the slot which receives the base of the cutting blades. A horizontal portion 70 of the contact extends laterally inward from stabilizing base 67and is received above a floor 72 of transverse passage 7.4 in the conductor block and prevented fromlifting by a pair of tabs 76 molded in the wall of the passage. The tabs for preventing the lifting of a horizontal contact are both shown in FIG. 6, again at 76, spaced above floor 72 of transverse passage 74 for the horizontal portion of a conductor blade. A tapered hole 78 is a core draw hole from the tabs. Again referring to FIG. 4, the horizontal portion meets a generally vertically free-standing portion or shank 80 which extends slightly from a lateral guide wall 82 of receptacle 44 inwardly into the pocket within the receptacle. The shank meets wiper head 84, which is bent back laterally away from the longitudinal centerline of the conductor baseJThe wiper head is relatively wider than the shank and the connecting horizontal portion so that the edges thereof can engage stops 86 and 88 (see also FIG. 2)

to prevent excessive displacement of the wiper and to allow it to deform for good line contact with the cooperating blade of a stab of plug 12 (the latter two elements being shown in FIG. 1).

The dimensional relationship between a wiper head and its shank is shown to best effect in FIG. 7. Here for contact 35, wiper 47 is wider than a shank 89. The shank and a cooperating horizontal portion 91 (see FIG. 2) are narrower than the wiper head. The narrowness of the shank enables it to twist and bend in response to the stabs of the plug. Horizontal portion 91 of contact 75 and shown in FIG. 2 is shorter than horizontal portion 70 of contact 66 of FIG. 4 to allow contact to be set in towards the longitudinal centerstrikes 90 in thecontact which inbed in the plastic of the basetsee FIG. 2).

Contacts 33 and 34 can be made as a unit with a bridge coined for removal and separation of the contacts after installation.

with reference to FIGS. 2 and 7, it will be noted that the blades of the contacts extend above the surface of the contact mounts and that valleys 92 are provided in the mounts between individual of the cutter blade pairs of a given contact. This is seen to best effect in FIG. 7. These valleys are provided so that wires leading from the interior or central portion of the conductor block to a wire passage laterally outward of the contact mounts can be received in the valleys while a standard installation tool. which presses a wire into the contact blades, can bottom on the mounts without injuring the insulation of the wires in the valleys.

, Each of the receptacles for the stabs of the plug is typified by receptacle 44in FIG. 4. As previously mentioned, this receptacle is bounded on its lateral outside by a wall 82, which is capped by stops 86, the latter serving to arrest the deflection of wiper 84. On the lateral inside of receptacle 44, a slightly higher inner wall 94 confines the inner wall of a stab. A laterally extending wall 96 bounds wall 94 and meets wall 82. Lateral wall 96 extends outwardly for a distance towards wall 82 at the same height as inner wall 94 and then steps at 98 to a lower height below the lower end of wiper 84. The step limits inward travel of wiper head 84. The relatively high lateral and interior walls provide a bearing for the roof of cover 28 (see FIGS. 8 and 9), which fits over theconductor block or base. against excessive inward deformation, which might otherwise cause it to crack.

With reference to FIG. 2, it will be noted that contact 35 is set inwardly of contacts 33 and 34. The reason for this is to shorten the overall assembly and to allow the tool which installs the conductors in the contact blades As seen in FIG. 3, a gusset connection between the post and a body portion 112 of the latch provides rigidity for the post and head. With continuing reference to FIG. 3 for awhile, a tongue 114 extends rear-wardly of the body for receipt ina tongue well 116 oftongue guide 51 for keeping the rear of the latch in place. A slide 118 is received in a slide guide 120 for keeping the front of the latch in place. A spring 122 about the slide bears against the conductor body at an entrance wall 123 to slide guide 120 and the latch at a shoulder 124 to normally maintain the latch in a closed position. Tab 26 is connected to body 112 of the latch through an elbow 126. The elbow has a horizontal portion 128 eittending laterally from and connected to vertical portion 130 and a second vertical portionl32, with the latter meeting body'1l2. Vertical portion 130 mounts tab 26. The tab has a mask 134 to close a hole 136 in the cover (see FIG. 1), which hole must necessarily be larger than the tab to allow the tab to move and open the latch. As seen particularly in FIG. 2, a pairof stabilizing wings 138 and 140 are provided to stabilize the latch by engaging parallel guide walls 142 and 144 of a latch well 146 of the conductor base. The post andv head of the latchs catch are dimensioned for a close receipt between the guiding walls of the well and therefore act to stabilize the fron'tof the latch. As seen in FIG. 3, vertical stabililzation of the latch is effected by body portion 112 residing on a floor 148 of the latch well. As also seen in FIG. 3, a bumper 150 on post 106 is disposed to engage entrance wall 123 ofslide passage 120. This bumper prevents over-compression of the spring during installation of the latch.

With reference continuing to FIG. 3, the latchis installed by sliding it at aslight cant into slide guide 120 tion of the latch.

With reference to FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, conductor retainers or pinch guides 154 and 156are provided between the contact mounts and the lateraloutside of the conductor base for receiving conductors running from one end of the conductor base to the other. I With reference to FIG. 2, the conductor base has a pair of raised fastener mounting bosses 158 and 160 for securing the conductor base to any desired place.

In FIG. 2, the upper end of the conductor base has a breakoff closure tab 162 to close a cooperating aperture similar to an aperture 163 in cover 28 but on the opposite end (see FIG. 1). The breakoff can be broken off to allow wiring through it and a cooperating aperture in the cover to, say, another serially wired jack.

in FIG. 2, an arched aperture 164 in the conductor block provides wiring access into the conductor block. Reviewing FIG. I, aperture 163 in the cover also provides wiring access into the conductor base.

Cover 28 of the jack is shown in FIG. 1 and includes the aforementioned aperture for cord passage and has in addition means to snap it in place on the conductor base.

With reference to FIGS. 1, 8 and 9, the roof of cover 28, when the cover is in place on conductor block 32, lies slightly above the upper termini of the U-shaped inner walls of the stab receptacles, typified by walls 94 and 96 of receptacle 44 shown in FIG. 9. With reference to FIG. 8, the hook catches of latch 16 and catch 18 are such that they lock after the cover has been indented slightly by plug 12. The cover, then, applies a positive force on the plug to maintain the dimensional relationship established by the locked latch and catch. With specific reference to FIG. 9, stabs 20 and'their conductor blades 22 (see FIG. 1), and the inner walls of the receptacles in the conductor base, again typified by wall 94 of receptacle 44, cooperate to accurately set the stabs. This is effected by having the stabs of rigid molded plastic material such that interiorly tapered surfaces thereof engage the upright interior wall of the receptacles and be piloted into the receptacles by cooperating tapers. The set position is shown in FIG. 9.

The contacts in the conductor base are rigidly secured in the contact mounts but the shank and the wiper heads of the contacts are free to twist under a torsional load, and bend back laterally from the longitudinal centerline of the conductor base for electrical contact with the blade conductors of the plug. The free-standing shank and wiper heads of the contacts are obviously urged into engagement with the blades of the stabs by the elasticity of the contacts.

The face that the leading ends of the blades of the plug are stacked or rolled into pockets in the ends of the stabs presents to the contacts of the conductor base a smooth leading edge to avoid scoring of the shank or wiper of the bases contacts.

The jack of the present invention in conjunction with the plug provides a very effective means for coupling multiconductor cords together in a fashion which will not create the likelihood of poor contact and resultant noise. In addition, the coupling between the plug and the jack or plug receptacle is positive, discouraging to inadvertent unplugging of the plug from the jack, the positive feature being provided by the latch and catch. The contact design associated with the jack of the present invention provides for ease of plug installation and assures good positive engagement between the contact 1 wipers and the conductor blades of the stabs because the contacts are securely anchored, yet have significant free-standing portions to elastically engage the blades with ample force while accommodating any misalignment or tampering.

The present invention has been described with reference to a certain preferred embodiment. The spirit and scope of the appended claims should not, however, be necessarily limited to the foregoing description.

What is claimed is:

1. A plug receptacle for a multistab plug with each stab of the plug having an electrical blade contact. the receptacle comprising:

a. a base;

b. means on the base for defining a slide guide;

c. means on the base for defining a tongue guide aligned with the slide guide;

d. means on the base for defining latch well between the slide guide and the tongue guide, and opening into the slide guide and tongue guide, the slide guide, tongue guide and latch well defining a translational path, the latch well having walls substantially parallel to the path;

e. a latch disposed for translation along the translational path and being selectively operable to'accept and firmly hold a cooperating catch of the plug to secure the plug and the plug receptacle together, the latch including:

i. a body having first and second opposite ends and being slidably disposed in the latch well between the slide guide and the tongue guide;

ii. a slide extending from the first end of the body into the slide guide;

iii. a tongue extending from the second end of the body into the tongue guide;

iv. means for .contacting the walls of the latch well to maintain angular stability of the latch;

f. a plurality of receptacle contacts mounted in the base for each receptacle contact to engage a separate associatedone of the blade contacts of the g. a cover on the base, the cover having an elastically deformable roof for bearing on and displacement by the plug for the stationary engagement of the receptacle contacts by the blade contacts.

2. The plug receptacle claimed in claim 1 including:

means for biasing the latch into a closed position in acceptance of the catch of the plug. 3. The plug receptacle claimed in claim 1 including:

b. the tongue guide means has an elastically displaceable roof for displacement by the tongue during installation of the tongue in the tongue guide, whereby after such installation the tongue guide root prevents ready removal of the latch by interference with the tongue; and

c. the slide guide means has a roof for engagement by the bumper during the elastic displacement of the roof of the tongue guide means by the tongue.

5. The plug receptacle claimed inclaim 4 including:

means for biasing the latch into a closed position in acceptance of the catch of the plug and the securing of the plug and the plug receptacle together.

6. The plug receptacle claimed in claim 5 wherein:

a. each plug receptacle contact has a free-standing, elastically displaceable shank, each shank being positioned for electrical engagement by the blade contact of the plug associated with the plug receptacle contact of which such shank is a part; and

b. the base has an individual receptacle for each of the free-standing shanks, each shank receptacle being mutually isolated from the remaining of the shank receptacles.

7. The plug receptacle claimed in claim 6 wherein each of the shank receptacles has a wall for limiting deflection of its associated free-standing shank.

8. The plug receptacle claimed in claim 7 in combination with the plug.

9. The plug receptacle claimed in claim 1 in combination with the plug, and wherein:

a. each plug receptacle contact has a free-standing, elastically displaceable shank, each shank being positioned for electrical engagement by the blade contact of the plug associated with the plug receptacle contact of which such shank is a part;

b. the base has an individual receptacle for each of the free-standing shanks, each shank receptacle having walls which mutually isolate its freestanding shank from the remaining free-standing shanks;

c. the walls of each shank receptacle having a taper which opens in the direction of the top of the shank receptacle; and

d. each stab of the plug having a taper which closes in the direction of the bottom of the stab such that each stab engages the walls of the shank receptacle when the latch of the plug receptacle is accepting the catch of the plug.

10. The combination claimed in claim 9 wherein:

a. means is included for biasing the latch into a closed position in acceptance of the catch of the plug and the securing of the plug and the plug receptacle together;

b. the latch includes a hook-like catch between the slide and the tongue for engaging the catch of the plug, the latch catch extending from the latch body, and a bumper of the body on the same side of the latch catch as the tongue;

c. the tongue guide means has an elastically displaceable roof for displacement by the tongue during installation of the tongue in the tongue guide, whereby after such installation the tongue guide roof prevents ready removal of the latch by interference with the tongue;

d. the slide guide means has a roof for engagement by the bumper during the elastic displacement of the roof of the tongue guide means by the tongue; and

e. the means for contacting the walls of the latch well to maintain angular stability of the latch includes a pair of wings extending laterally of the latch to engage the parallel walls of the latch well.

11. An improved plug receptacle and multistab plug comprising:

a. the plug receptacle having:

i. a plug receptacle base having a longitudinal axis;

ii. a pair of plug receptacle contacts mounted on each side of the longitudinal axis of the base, each plug receptacle contact having means for connection to a conductor and a free-standing, elastically displaceable shank;

iii. an individual shank receptacle for each freestanding shank, each shank receptacle being on the base and having tapered walls which diverge towards the top of the receptacle, the shank receptacles being oriented in opposed pairs on either side of the longitudinal axis of the base;

iv. latch means in the base and having a hook-like catch;

v. a cover on the base covering the plug receptacle contacts, the cover having an elastically deformable roof;

b. the multistab plug having:

i. a depending stab for each shank receptacle, each stab having a taper complementing the taper of its shank receptacle such that the stabs and the walls of such receptacles engage;

ii. a blade contact for each stab disposed for electrical contact with the shank in the shank receptacle associated with the stab; and

iii. a hook-like catch for engaging the hook-like catch of the latch and securing the plug receptacle and plug firmly together with the cover elastically deformed by the plug to exert a positive force on the hook-like catches to urge them into firm engagement with each other.

12. The improved plug receptacle and multistab plug claimed in claim 11 wherein:

a. the base includes:

i. means for defining a slide guide;

ii. means for defining a tongue guide aligned with the slide guide;

iii. means for defining a latch well between the slide guide and the tongue guide, and opening into the slide guide and tongue guide, the slide guide, tongue guide and latch well defining a translational path, the latch well having walls substantially parallel to the path;

b. the latch is disposed for translational path and the latch includes: a i. a body having first and second opposite ends and being slidably disposed in the latch well between the slide guide and the tongue guide;

ii. a slide extending from the first end of the body into the slide guide;

iii. a tongue extending from the second end of the body into the tongue guide; and

iv. means for contacting the walls of the latch well to maintain angular stability of the latch.

13. The improved plug receptacle and multistab claimed in claim 12 including: 7

a. means for biasing the latch into a closed position in acceptance of the catch of the plug; and

b. actuator means external of the cover for opening the latch and releasing the catch.

14. The improved plug receptacle and multistab plug claimed in claim 13 wherein:

a. the latch has a bumper on the latch body on the same side thereof as the tongue;

b. the tongue guide means has an elastically displaceable roof for displacement by the tongue during installation of the tongue in the tongue guide, whereby after such installation the tongue guide roof prevents ready removal of the latch by interference with the tongue; and

c. the slide guide means has a roof for engagement by the bumper during the elastic displacement of the roof of the tongue guide means by the tongue. 1 1R 2 3 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEC CERTIFICATE OF @OHRECTIQN Patent No. 3,342,395 Dated October 15, 1974 Inventor(s 7 "Council A. Tucker It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

WW In the specification: Column 1, line 53, before "free--" insert a'--. Column 5, 'line 36, "with" should be --With--. Column 7, line" 42, "face should be --fact--. I

In the claims: Claim 12 column 10, line 38, before translational" insert --trans1ation along the v Signed and sealed this'3lst day o fjDecember 1974.

SEAL) Attest:

McCOY GIBSON JR. C. liARSHALL DANN Arresting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

1. A plug receptacle for a multistab plug with each stab of the plug having an electrical blade contact, the receptacle comprising: a. a base; b. means on the base for defining a slide guide; c. means on the base for defining a tongue guide aligned with the slide guide; d. means on the base for defining latch well between the slide guide and the tongue guide, and opening into the slide guide and tongue guide, the slide guide, tongue guide and latch well defining a translational path, the latch well having walls substantially parallel to the path; e. a latch disposed for translation along the translational path and being selectively operable to accept and firmly hold a cooperating catch of the plug to secure the plug and the plug receptacle together, the latch including: i. a body having first and second opposite ends and being slidably disposed in the latch well between the slide guide and the tongue guide; ii. a slide extending from the first end of the body into the slide guide; iii. a tongue extending from the second end of the body into the tongue guide; iv. means for contacting the walls of the latch well to maintain angular stability of the latch; f. a plurality of receptacle contacts mounted in the base for each receptacle contact to engage a separate associated one of the blade contacts of the plug; and a cover on the base, the cover having an elastically deformable roof for bearing on and displacement by the plug for the stationary engagement of the receptacle contacts by the blade contacts.
 2. The plug receptacle claimed in claim 1 including: means for biasing the latch into a closed position in acceptance of the catch of the plug.
 3. The plug receptacle claimed in claim 1 including: actuator means external of the cover for opening the latch and releasing the catch.
 4. The plug receptacle claimed in claim 1 wherein: a. the latch includes: i. a hook-like catch between the slide and the tongue for engaging the catch of the plug, the latch catch extending from the latch body; ii. a bumper of the body on the same side of the latch catch as the tongue; b. the tongue guide means has an elastically displaceable roof for displacement by the tongue during installation of the tongue in the tongue guide, whereby After such installation the tongue guide roof prevents ready removal of the latch by interference with the tongue; and c. the slide guide means has a roof for engagement by the bumper during the elastic displacement of the roof of the tongue guide means by the tongue.
 5. The plug receptacle claimed in claim 4 including: means for biasing the latch into a closed position in acceptance of the catch of the plug and the securing of the plug and the plug receptacle together.
 6. The plug receptacle claimed in claim 5 wherein: a. each plug receptacle contact has a free-standing, elastically displaceable shank, each shank being positioned for electrical engagement by the blade contact of the plug associated with the plug receptacle contact of which such shank is a part; and b. the base has an individual receptacle for each of the free-standing shanks, each shank receptacle being mutually isolated from the remaining of the shank receptacles.
 7. The plug receptacle claimed in claim 6 wherein each of the shank receptacles has a wall for limiting deflection of its associated free-standing shank.
 8. The plug receptacle claimed in claim 7 in combination with the plug.
 9. The plug receptacle claimed in claim 1 in combination with the plug, and wherein: a. each plug receptacle contact has a free-standing, elastically displaceable shank, each shank being positioned for electrical engagement by the blade contact of the plug associated with the plug receptacle contact of which such shank is a part; b. the base has an individual receptacle for each of the free-standing shanks, each shank receptacle having walls which mutually isolate its free-standing shank from the remaining free-standing shanks; c. the walls of each shank receptacle having a taper which opens in the direction of the top of the shank receptacle; and d. each stab of the plug having a taper which closes in the direction of the bottom of the stab such that each stab engages the walls of the shank receptacle when the latch of the plug receptacle is accepting the catch of the plug.
 10. The combination claimed in claim 9 wherein: a. means is included for biasing the latch into a closed position in acceptance of the catch of the plug and the securing of the plug and the plug receptacle together; b. the latch includes a hook-like catch between the slide and the tongue for engaging the catch of the plug, the latch catch extending from the latch body, and a bumper of the body on the same side of the latch catch as the tongue; c. the tongue guide means has an elastically displaceable roof for displacement by the tongue during installation of the tongue in the tongue guide, whereby after such installation the tongue guide roof prevents ready removal of the latch by interference with the tongue; d. the slide guide means has a roof for engagement by the bumper during the elastic displacement of the roof of the tongue guide means by the tongue; and e. the means for contacting the walls of the latch well to maintain angular stability of the latch includes a pair of wings extending laterally of the latch to engage the parallel walls of the latch well.
 11. An improved plug receptacle and multistab plug comprising: a. the plug receptacle having: i. a plug receptacle base having a longitudinal axis; ii. a pair of plug receptacle contacts mounted on each side of the longitudinal axis of the base, each plug receptacle contact having means for connection to a conductor and a free-standing, elastically displaceable shank; iii. an individual shank receptacle for each free-standing shank, each shank receptacle being on the base and having tapered walls which diverge towards the top of the receptacle, the shank receptacles being oriented in opposed pairs on either side of the longitudinal axis of the base; iv. latch means in the base and having a hook-like catch; v. a cover on the base covering the plug receptacle contacts, the cover havinG an elastically deformable roof; b. the multistab plug having: i. a depending stab for each shank receptacle, each stab having a taper complementing the taper of its shank receptacle such that the stabs and the walls of such receptacles engage; ii. a blade contact for each stab disposed for electrical contact with the shank in the shank receptacle associated with the stab; and iii. a hook-like catch for engaging the hook-like catch of the latch and securing the plug receptacle and plug firmly together with the cover elastically deformed by the plug to exert a positive force on the hook-like catches to urge them into firm engagement with each other.
 12. The improved plug receptacle and multistab plug claimed in claim 11 wherein: a. the base includes: i. means for defining a slide guide; ii. means for defining a tongue guide aligned with the slide guide; iii. means for defining a latch well between the slide guide and the tongue guide, and opening into the slide guide and tongue guide, the slide guide, tongue guide and latch well defining a translational path, the latch well having walls substantially parallel to the path; b. the latch is disposed for translational path and the latch includes: i. a body having first and second opposite ends and being slidably disposed in the latch well between the slide guide and the tongue guide; ii. a slide extending from the first end of the body into the slide guide; iii. a tongue extending from the second end of the body into the tongue guide; and iv. means for contacting the walls of the latch well to maintain angular stability of the latch.
 13. The improved plug receptacle and multistab claimed in claim 12 including: a. means for biasing the latch into a closed position in acceptance of the catch of the plug; and b. actuator means external of the cover for opening the latch and releasing the catch.
 14. The improved plug receptacle and multistab plug claimed in claim 13 wherein: a. the latch has a bumper on the latch body on the same side thereof as the tongue; b. the tongue guide means has an elastically displaceable roof for displacement by the tongue during installation of the tongue in the tongue guide, whereby after such installation the tongue guide roof prevents ready removal of the latch by interference with the tongue; and c. the slide guide means has a roof for engagement by the bumper during the elastic displacement of the roof of the tongue guide means by the tongue. 